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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · temple · patient · wake · season · firm · tear · rest

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rest — a break
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. firm — a company
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. rest — what's left
  11. tear — to rip
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tear — from crying
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wake — a trail
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. season — of the year
  21. tear — from crying
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — decided
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com